Handle for brief cases and luggage



March 1, 1955 L. LIFTON 2,703,160

HANDLE FOR BRIEF CASES AND LUGGAGE- Filed Jan. 21, 1954 Z FIG.4

' 4 Shee ts-Sheet 1 I VIENTOR. BY 2 a ATORNEY L. LlF TON HANDLE FOR BRIEF CASES AND LUGGAGE March I, 1955 4; Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 21, 1954 FIG.|2

INVENTOR. 33

ATTORNEY March 1, 1955 L. LIFTON 2,703,160

HANDLE FOR BRIEF CASES AND LUGGAGE Filed Jan. 21, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TOR.

7 ATTORNEY March 1, 1955 L. LIFTON 2,703,160

HANDLE FOR BRIEF CASES AND LUGGAGE Filed Jan. 21, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 4 M 4 FIG .24 22 FIG.25

.w, FIG .26

Q '4 s 4 23 is 45 2k? INVENTOR.

AT TOR N EY United States Patent HANDLE FOR BRIEF CASES AND LUGGAGE Lewis Lifton, New York, N. Y. Application January 21, 1954, Serial No. 405,421 13 Claims. (at. 190-57 This-invention has to do with an. effective and serviceabl handle for briefcases and/or luggage. One object resides. 1n. the provision of an improved handle comprising a. wrapped one plece ring shaped member adapted to be folded to characterize juxtapositioned, exteriorly convexedand internally concaved companion complements held tightly closed by complementary locking means concealed within the handle and secured to the complements thereof. Another object is realized: in the provision of shovel. covering for the handle embodying overlapped andsecured components appropriately and tightly wrapped against and about the foldable sections-of the ringshapedmember which constitutes the-body of thev handle. Another ob ect resides in the provision of a wrapper about the ring. sections of the handle which requires no stitchmg pursuant to folding and lockingthe complements of the handle tightly together. Other important objects and salientffeatures will be apparent from the following detalleddisclosure considered in'the light'of the accompanymgdrawings.

Fig. 1. is. aperspective view one embodiment of the invention, shown partly broken away illustrating supplementary means to preclude longitudinal displacement of one of the complements of the handle relative to. the other component thereof.

Fig. 2 is a plan-view of Fig. 1 on a smaller scale.

Fig. 3 is a. transverse sectional view on the line 33 of. Flg. 1., on a. larger scale, illustrating the complementary components of the handle held. closed and locked;

Big, 4 is, a plan view of the flexible blank constituting {)he. Sever or wrapper for the handle and defining a closed Fig. 4A is a side view of Fig. 4.

Fig. 5 is; a plan view of the channeled and substantlally ring shaped member adapted to be positioned. on and closely wrapped hy the. blank shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a plan view. illustrating the blank. wrapped andtightly secured to. and, about the ring. shaped member.

Fig, 7,. is. an enlarged sectional view on the line 7-7 of Fig, 6.

Fig. 8 is a, sectional view on the; line 8-8 of Fig. 5.

[B ig 8A a perspectivev view of the claspor locking pate...

Fig, 9r is, a. perspective view of; a handle according. to another embodiment. of the invention, however, shown partly: broken away.

Fig. 10t-is a plan view of Fig. 9- on a smaller scale.

Fig. 1.1 is an enlarged, transverse sectional view on the line. 11--11; of Fig. 9.

Fig. 12; is a plan view of the metal ringsuperimposed on theblankor. covering before the; latter is wrapped thereabout and. before bending the complementarysections ofthe ring, towards each other to. form thehandle.

Fig. 13, is an enlarged sectionalv-iew on the line 13-13 of. Fig. 12.

Fig. 141 is. a sectional view on the line. 14-14 of- Fig. 11. t i

Fig. 15, is a perspective view of the locking plate.

Fig.16. is; a perspective view of another form according, to the invention, also shown partly broken away.

Fig. His a plan view of Fig 16 on a smaller scale.

Fig. 18 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 18-'-18 of Fig. 16.

Fig. 19- is a plan view of a covered ring prior to bend ing thereof to constitute the complementary components of the handle. 0

of the handle according to 2,703,160 Patented Mar. 1, 1955 Fig. 20 is an enlarged sectional view on the'line 20-20 of Fig. 19. I

Fig. 21 is a perspective view of another embodiment in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 22 is a plan view of Fig. 21 on a smaller scale. Fig. 23 is a sectional view on the line 23-43 of Fig. 21, but on a larger scale.

Fig. 24 is a plan view of the ring mounted on its covering wrapper.

Fig. 25 is a perspective view, on a larger scale, of the complementary locking means for holding the complementary ring sections of the handle closed, and

Fig. 26 is an enlarged fragmentary view of Fig. 23.

In the form according to Figs. 1-8,. the handle H is characterized by spaced limbs L merged with the arched bridge portion B. The body of the handle is formedby the hollow inwardly concaved outwardly converted one piece sheet metal ring or loop R comprising substantially semi-circular sections 10 and 11 merged with the intervening and reduced substantially fiat webs W. Appropriately secured to component 16, is the stud or post 12, thatis, the latter may be secured by welding, soldering, brazing, or riveting as is Well understood. Ring section 11 has-appropriately fixed thereto the sheet metal keeper or locking plate, generally designated 13, comprising bridge 14 merging with the outwardly diverging legs or sides 15 having laterally extending lugs 16 welded or soldered or brazed to channel 11. Bridge 14 comprises complementary downwardly and inwardly converging spaced sloping or biased leaves or lips 17 interrupted by spaced notches defining relief end openings 18, and the central opening 19 having bore adapted to receive and frictionally grip stud or post 12. End openings 18 and central opening 19 communicate with and are interrupted by the relatively narrow siots 2i]. Wrapper 21 may be considered asa closed band for the ring R which may be of a suitable leather, fabric or plastic and embodies unequal overlapping sections or complements 22 and 23 secured together by the lines of stitchingZ-i', forming a blank having central opening 25 from which extend the multiplicity of slits 26 to characterize lips 27 adapted to be folded over and against the inner margin of ring R into the inside concaved channels of components 10 and 11. Blank or wrapper 21 is also provided spaced slits 23 defining relatively short lips 29A adapted to be folded over and against the outer margins of webs or intervenors W. The outer margins M of wrapper or cover 21 are closely folded about and against the outer margin of ring R and against the inside surfaces of the ring sections 10 and 11. Of course, prior to placing: ringR on wrapper 21, suitable adhesive had been applied to the latter so that the wrapper tightly adheres tothe outer ring and to the inside margins thereof as is,

well appreciated.

L-shaped members 29 have their bases 30 soldered or welded to the inside concaved surfaces of sections 10 and 11 of ring R and comprise lugs 31 adapted to project'into the opposing sections of ring R and overlap one another in close juxtaposition to characterize supplementary'stop means to preclude longitudinal displacement of one section relative to the other after sections 10 and 11 have been brought together in which case stud 12 enters central opening 19. thus frictionally cooperatingelude longitudinal displacement of the covered section from the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8A in the 1 10 relative to its companion section 11.

Concerning webs W, of ring R, these. when wrapped and folded define curved and. spaced, covered sockets S following particulars; rivet or stud 12 has been replaced by a T-shaped member generally designated TP having its laterally extending lugs 32, soldered or welded to section of ring R In addition the central opening 19 shown in Fig. SA has been omitted from bridge 14 Consequently tongue T of T-shaped member TP is received in slot 20 and wedgeably and frictionally cooperates with the biased or sloping downwardly converging leaves or lips 17 of keeper 13 to hold the covered sections 10 and 11 of the ring R closed and locked. Terminals 33 are bent upwardly from the diverged sloping portions 15 of locking member and are adequately soldered or welded to ring section 11 while margins M of the flexible components 22 and 23 are effectively secured against the bent up terminals 33. In other aspects the form according to Figs. 9-l5 inclusive is Sling the lines of the embodiment according to Figs. l-

In the form shown in Figs. 16-20 inclusive, parts corresponding to the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 9-15 have similar reference characters but raised to the third power and both of these forms are identical except that the T-shaped lug TF and the companion locking plate or keeper 13 have been turned 90 degrees relative to the position shown in Figs. 9-15. Otherwise the embodiment according to Figs. 16-20 inclusive is along the lines of the construction in accordance with Figs. 9-l5 except that lugs 16 of locking plate or keeper K are rectilinear (Fig. 19) and anchored to ring section 11 According to the form shown in Figs. 21-26, parts corresponding to the earlier forms have their reference characters raised to the fourth power and in Figs. 21-26 a strap or tongue ST and a keeper 13 are utilized to hold the wrapped complementary parts of the handle tightly together, that is, closed and locked against separation as desired. In fact, strap or tongue ST is a strip of metal and slightly arcuate, having its upper part 40 welded or suitably anchored to ring section 10 The lower portion 41 projects beyond the inner margin M of ring section 10 and embodies the slightly offset or biased lip 42 adapted to be received within keeper 13 through the top opening 43 and guided downwardly by the cam Wall or bridge 44 which inclines towards ring section 11 Opening 43 is appreciably wider than the lower slot 45 defined by the lower part of wall 44 and ring section 11 Tongue or strap ST can thus be wedged between the lower part of wall 44 and ring section 11 after lip 42 passes under the lower face of wall 44 to interlock with keeper 13 having laterally extending lugs 46 adequately anchored to ring section 11 By this arrangement the covered complements of the handle H are closely held together and locked against separation as desired. Otherwise the form shown in Figs. 21-26 is along the lines of the early embodiments hereinbefore discussed.

As a commentary concerning the wrapper or cover for the handles, by utilizing the complementary overlapping components 22 and 23 (Figs. 4 and 4A) a one piece covering for the handles need not be employed. Consequently in the process of manufacture less waste results as is well appreciated. Moreover, components 22 and 23 may be stamped out separately from various pieces of flexible material, hence additionally resulting in a large saving.

In all of the forms heretofore considered, the wrapped complementary components of the handle are held closed and together by wedgeable locking means.

Referring again to Fig. 23, margin M is folded about and anchored to ring section 10 before strap ST is welded or soldered to ring section 10 while the lower margin M of the component 23 is provided with a recess 50 (Figs. 24 and 25) to clear keeper 13 anchored to ring section 11 Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of this invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others and as many changes could be made in the above set forth embodiments and many widely different embodiments could be devised without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and as shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A hollow handle, comprising; a one piece substantially ring shaped member having spaced exteriorly convexed surfaces and spaced internally concaved surfaces, a flexible wrapper having a centrally arranged opening and defining a closed band secured to said convexed surfaces and having an outer margin turned over said convexed surfaces and secured against said concaved surfaces and having an inner margin turned into said opening and secured against said concaved surfaces adjacent said opening, said wrapped ring shaped member being foldable to define a pair of companion inverted substantially U-shaped and covered complements to constitute said handle, a keeper secured within and to one of said complements and having spaced and biased lips and a hole interrupting said lips, and a stud concealed within said handle and secured to the other complement of said pair and received in said hole and gripped by said lips to hold said complements closed and against separation.

2. A hollow handle, comprising; a one piece substantially ring shaped member having spaced exteriorly convexed surfaces and spaced internally concaved surfaces, a flexible wrapper having a centrally arranged opening and defining a closed band secured to said convexed surfaces and having an outer margin turned over said convexed surfaces and secured against said concaved surfaces and having an inner margin turned into said opening and secured against said concaved surfaces adjacent said opening, said wrapped ring shaped member being foldable to define a pair of companion inverted substantially U-shaped and covered complements to constitute said handle, a keeper secured to one of said complements and having a sloping wall, and a tongue concealed within said handle and carried by the other complement of said pair and wedgeably held against said wall and having a lip interlocking therewith.

3. A hollow handle, comprising; a one piece substantially ring shaped member having spaced exteriorly convexed surfaces and spaced internally concaved surfaces, a flexible wrapper having a centrally arranged opening and defining a closed band secured to said convexed surfaces and having an outer margin turned over said convexed surfaces and secured against said concaved surfaces and having an inner margin turned into said opening and secured against said concaved surfaces adjacent said opening, said wrapped ring shaped member being foldable to define a pair of companion inverted substantially U- shaped and covered complements to constitute said handle, a U-shaped keeper secured to and within one of said complements comprising a split locking plate having a series of spaced holes and having spaced and downwardly converging biased lips interrupted by said holes, and a stud carried by the other complement of said pair and wedgeably disposed in one of said holes and secured by said lips for holding said complements closed and against separation.

4. A hollow handle, comprising; a one piece substantially ring shaped sheet metal member having spaced outer and inner edge means, said member having integrally merged therewith spaced and reduced web means including spaced outer and inner edges oifset relative to said outer and inner edge means, said member having spaced exteriorly convexed surfaces and spaced internally concaved surfaces, a flexible wrapper having a centrally arranged opening and defining a closed band having an intermediate portion secured smoothly and tightly against said convexed surfaces and against the outside surfaces of said web means, said flexible wrapper having an outer margin turned over said outer edge means and over said edges and secured against the inside surfaces of said web means and secured against said concaved surfaces, said flexible wrapper having an inner interrupted margin turned over and against said inner edge means and over and against said inner edges and secured against saidconcaved surfaces and the inside surfaces of said web means, said wrapped webs being bendable for folding and closing said wrapped member to define a pair of inverted substantially U-shaped exteriorly and smoothly covered complements provided with complementary opposing and concaved faces defined by said concaved surfaces and movable towards each other relative to said Web means on closing of said complements, a keeper secured within one of said complements and having bridge means, projecting means carried by the other complement of said pair, said bridge means having means for frictionally receiving said projecting means during closing of said complements and for automatically and wedgeably grasping said porjecting means on completion of closing of said complements to hold said covered edge means of said complements in contact and said concaved faces against displacement away from each other.

5. A hollow handle, comprising; a one piece substantially ring shaped sheet metal member having spaced outer and inner edge means, said member having integrally merged therewith spaced and reduced web means including spaced outer and inner edges offset relative to said outer and inner edge means, said member having spaced exteriorly convexed surfaces and spaced internally concaved surfaces, a flexible wrapper having a centrally arranged opening and defining a closed band having an intermediate portion secured smoothly and tightly against said convexed surfaces and against the outside surfaces of said web means, said flexible wrapper having an outer margin turned over said outer edge means and over said edges and secured against the inside surfaces of said web means and secured against said concaved surfaces, said flexible wrapper having an inner margin turned over and against said inner edge means and over and against said inner edges and secured against said concaved surfaces and the inside surfaces of said web means, said wrapped webs being bendable for folding and closing said wrapped member to define a pair of inverted substantially U-shaped exteriorly and smoothly covered complements provided with complementary concaved and opposing faces defined by said concaved surfaces and movable towards each other relative to said web means on closing of said covered member, a keeper within one of said complements and secured to the concaved face thereof, projecting means within the other complement of said pair and secured to the concaved face thereof, said keeper means including an intermediately arranged bridge spaced from said last mentioned face and having means for receiving said projecting means during closing of said complements and for automatically and wedgeably holding said projecting means within said handle and against slippage relative to said bridge on completion of closing of said complements at which time said covered edge means of said complements are disposed in contact and said web means constitute spaced sockets.

6. A handle, comprising; a pair of companion and substantially U-shaped hollow complements having upper and lower edge means and including opposing inside faces, a keeper having terminal means secured to the inside face of one of said complements and having a bridge spaced from said last mentioned face and provided with a -slot interrupting said bridge to define spaced lips converging towards each other and sloping towards said last mentioned face, and projecting means secured to the inside face of the other complement of said pair and frictionally interposed between said lips to wedgeably coact therewith to hold said edge means contiguous to one another.

7. A handle, comprising; a pair of companion and substantially U-shaped hollow complements having upper and lower edge means and including opposing inside faces, a keeper having terminal means secured to the inside face of one of said complements and having a bridge spaced from said last mentioned face and provided with spaced openings and a slot interrupting said bridge and communicating with said openings to define spaced lips converging towards each other and sloping towards said last mentioned face, and projecting means secured to the inside face of the other complement of said pair and receivable in said slot and frictionally interposed between said lips to wedgeably coact therewith to hold said edge means contiguous to one another.

8. A handle, comprising; a pair of companion and substantially U-shaped hollow complements having upper and lower edge means and including opposing inside faces, a keeper having terminal means secured to the inside face of one of said complements and having a bridge spaced from said last mentioned face and provided with a series of spaced openings and a slot interrupting said bridge and communicating with said openings to define spaced lips converging towards each other and sloping towards said last mentioned face, and a stud secured to the inside face of the other complement of said pair and extending beyond said last mentioned complement and frictionally receivable in one of said openings and interposed between said lips to wedgeably coact therewith to hold said edge means contiguous to one another and conceal said keeper and stud within said handle.

9. A hollow handle, comprising; a one piece substantially ring shaped member having spaced exteriorly convexed surfaces and spaced internally concaved surfaces, a flexible wrapper having a centrally arranged opening and defining a substantially closed band having intermediate portions secured-to said convexed surfaces and having an outermargin turned over said convexed surfaces and into and secured against said concaved surfaces and having an inner margin turned into said opening and secured against said concaved surfaces adjacent said opening, said wrapped ring shaped member being foldable to define a pair of companion inverted substantially U-shaped and covered complements to constitute said handle, a tongue in part within and in part outside of and carried by one of said complements and extending in part exteriorly beyond the edge means of said last mentioned complement, and a keeper carried by and within the other complement of said pair for receiving said tongue and for interlocking therewith to hold said complements in juxtapositon with said edge means thereof contiguous to one another.

10. A handle, comprising; a one piece substantially ring shaped member having spaced exteriorly convexed surfaces and spaced internally concaved surfaces, a flexible wrapper having a centrally arranged opening and defining a closed band secured to said convexed surfaces and having an outer margin turned over said convexed surfaces and secured against said concaved surfaces and having an inner interrupted margin turned into said opening and secured against said concaved surfaces adjacent said opening, said wrapped ring shaped member being foldable to define a pair of companion inverted substantially U-shaped tightly covered juxtapositioned complements to constitute said handle and embodying complementary concaved and opposing faces defined by said surfaces, a keeper within one of said complements and secured to the concaved face thereof and having a bridge spaced from said last mentioned face, projecting means in part within the other complement of said pair and secured to the concaved face thereof, and said bridge having means for automatically receiving said projecting means during folding of said complements towards each other on closing of said handle and for automatically wedging against said projecting means to hold said wrapped complements against separation and closed.

11. The handle according to claim 10 in that said ring shaped member has spaced and intermediately arranged spaced webs defining, when said complements are folded against each other, spaced sockets; and stop means carried by said complements and within said handle and disposed in abutting relation to preclude longitudinal displacement of said complements relative to each other.

12. A handle, comprising; a one piece substantially ring shaped member having spaced exteriorly convexed surfaces and spaced internally concaved surfaces, a flexible wrapper having a centrally arranged opening and defining a closed band secured to said convexed surfaces and having an outer margin turned over said convexed surfaces and secured against said concaved surfaces and having an inner interrupted margin turned into said opening and secured against said concaved surfaces adjacent said opening, said wrapped ring shaped member being foldable to define a pair of companion inverted substantially U-shaped and covered complements to constitute said handle and embodying complementary opposing concaved faces defined by said concaved surfaces, a keeper within one of said complements and provided with spaced terminal means secured to the concaved face thereof and comprising spaced sides sloping away from said terminal means and including a bridge spaced from said last mentioned face and integral with said sides, projecting means in part within the other complement of said pair and secured to the concaved face thereof, and said bridge having means for automatically receiving said projecting means during folding of said complements towards each other on closing of said handle and for automatically wedging against said projecting means to hold said wrapped complements against separation and closed.

13. A handle, comprising; a one piece substantially ring shaped member having spaced exteriorly convexed surfaces and spaced internally concaved surfaces, a flexible wrapper having a centrally arranged opening and defining a closed band secured to said convexed surfaces and having an outer margin turned over said convexed surfaces and secured against said concaved surfaces and having an inner margin turned into said opening and secured against said concaved surfaces adjacent said opening, said wrapped ring shaped member being foldable to define a pair of companion inverted substantially U-shaped and References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hedu Feb. 17, 1942 Jafle Nov. 1, 1950 Romolt Aug. 7, 1951 

